Because Life with Still's Can Still Be Life

Pre-Op Assessment

I had a phone call the other day to offer me a cancellation slot for my Hidradenitis surgery on Friday; I need at least a week’s course of antibiotics beforehand though, so couldn’t accept, but she told me to go for a pre-op assessment today anyway.

It took a while to go through my medical history and treatment list, then I had the usual BP and chest checks, followed by an ECG and then… another blood test. I hadn’t had much notice so was only able to try a few of the tips I posted the other day; however, I asked the phlebotomist if she could take blood from somewhere other than my ‘infusion vein’ and after two attempts she managed to find another that will work for bloodtests but isn’t suitable for cannulation. So we managed to get enough blood and give my overused vein a break, phew!

My procedure is now booked for the 22nd August, which is pretty soon but at least gives me time to heal before our trip to New York. I am also relieved that someone is finally doing something about it as I’ve been putting up with this for over a year now and, as well as being sore, it is annoying to have to think about it all the time. The problem is, I seem to have developed another swelling around the glands on the opposite side and a smaller one next to the first; I really hope that these are like earlier abscesses I experienced and heal themselves.

Unfortunately, the specialist feels that this is all down to being on immuno-suppressant drugs for so long and there’s not much I can do about that. I’ll just have to hope that with the antibiotics and surgery there’ll be no more infection left to reinfect and that it is curable. I’ve been taking it all a bit too lightly, so maybe I should look into more thoroughly too; prevention is better than cure after all.

Off to see the GP again tomorrow to reassess pain relief and pick up the antibiotics.

My Still’s Life

My name is Laura and I was diagnosed with Still's Disease at the age of 19, with previous diagnoses of Dermatomyositis at 14 and Post-Viral Reactive Arthritis at the age of 3. Life is a bit of a rollercoaster to say the least, but I'm happy to say that I have had my fair share of highs with the lows. I have currently been off work for over 18 months due to a severe flareup and was getting bored, so I thought that I would try and put my mind to something constructive.

I have tried numerous drugs to treat my Still's over the years, including:

Unfortunately, having one autoimmune disease can lead to other health problems and I have also developed Hidradenitis Suppurativa, Gastritis, Anaemia of Chronic Disease, MVP, PCOS and Migraine, which I post about from time to time.

Happy reading :)

A Blog Supported By

Supporting

Food For Thought

Toughness is in the soul and spirit, not in muscles.

~Alex Karras

The block of granite which was an obstacle in the pathway of the weak, became a stepping-stone in the pathway of the strong

~ Thomas Carlyle

Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.

~ Mahatma Gandhi

You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, 'I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.'